Last updated on April 18th, 2022
61. Saudi Arabia Doesn’t Have Income Tax
Instead of income tax, they have the zakat. This is an impost of 2.5% that is levied on assets and not income. It is only required of Muslims but not foreign workers.
62. Saudi Arabia is Heavily Reliant on Foreign Labor
60% of the Saudi workforce is made up of foreigners. Most Saudis work in the public sector and they have little incentive to join the private sector.
63. Female Labor Participation is Around 20%
This is the eight-lowest female labor participation rate in the world. Japan has a rate of 49% while in the U.S it is about 47%.
Geography & Physical Features
64. Only 1.45% Of Saudi Arabia is Arable, 95% is Desert or Semi-Desert
It has some of the biggest desert areas including Rub al-Khali and An Nafud. It is the largest nation in the world without a river.
65. World’s Tallest Water Fountain
Saudi Arabia has the world’s tallest water fountain which is called King Fahd’s Fountain. The fountain jets water to up to 260 meters. The World Cup Fountain in South Korea is the second tallest with a height of 202 meters.
66. World’s Largest Desalination Plant
The world’s largest desalination plant, the al-Jubail, is found in Saudi Arabia. It treats over 1.4 million cubic meters of water daily.
67. World’s First 1 Km Tower
Once completed, the Jeddah Tower will become the world’s first 1km high building. This tower will be taller than 491 LeBron James who stand on top of each other. LeBron James stands at 2.03 meters. It will be the centerpiece of the Jeddah Economic City that is meant to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil.
68. The Persian Gulf Controversy
Most maps of the Middle East use the name Persian Gulf; however, in Saudi Arabia, the name Arabian Gulf is used.
Dangerous Driving in Saudi Arabia
69. One of the Most Dangerous Countries to Drive
A World Bank report concluded that Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and Malaysia are the most dangerous countries to drive. When measured in terms of fatalities per vehicle, Saudi Arabia fared worse.
70. Sidewalk Skiing
Sidewalk skiing an exciting but dangerous driving technique was invented by motorists in Saudi Arabia. It involves balancing a vehicle on its side while driving.
Saudi Arabia – quick facts and statistics
| Independence | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Riyadh 24°39′N 46°46′E |
| Largest City | Riyadh |
| Area | total: 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Population | 34,783,757 (July 2021 est.) |
| Official Language | Arabic |
| Demonym | Saudi Saudi Arabian |
| Government type | Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; restricted to males; universal for municipal elections |
| King | Salman bin Abdulaziz |
| Crown Prince | Mohammed bin Salman |
| National symbol | palm tree surmounting two crossed swords |
| National colors | green, white |
| Borders | Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, U.A.E, Oman, and Yemen. |
| Currency | Saudi Riyal (SR) (SAR) |
| Religion | Islam |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.4 years (2021 est.) Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life. |
| Literacy rate | 97.6% (age 15 and over can read and write) |
| Terrain | mostly sandy desert |
| Mean elevation | 665 m |
| Lowest point | Persian Gulf 0 m |
| Highest point | As Sarawat range, 3,000 m |
| Coastline | 2,640 km |
| Climate | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper |
| Birth rate | 14.56 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 1.3 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $44,300 |
| Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials |
| Imports | $179.8 billion (2020 est.) cars, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, telephones (2019) |
| Exports | $184.11 billion (2020 est.) crude petroleum, refined petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, natural gas (2019) |
| Time Zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
| Internet country code | .sa |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Calling Code | +966 |
| Table last updated | February 10, 2022 |